


The Policeman's Mistress

by Lilly_C



Series: Various Bingos [10]
Category: Taggart (TV)
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Romance Novel, Car Accidents, Challenge Response, Community: genprompt_bingo, Community: unconventionalcourtship, F/M, Jardine Era, Not Canon Compliant, One Shot, Out of Character, Temporary Amnesia, luxken27's Summer Mini Challenge, luxken27's Summer Mini Challenge 2014, mills & boon - Freeform, unconventional courtship 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-07-26 17:44:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7583866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilly_C/pseuds/Lilly_C
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jackie doesn’t remember Robbie Ross. All she knows is that she was found after a hit-and-run accident with her memory gone.</p><p>So Jackie is horrified when she learns that she was once Robbie’s mistress… And now he’s claiming her little boy is his son! Robbie’s solution is simple: marriage!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Policeman's Mistress

**Author's Note:**

> No spoilers at all and set within an alternate reality of the Jardine era.
> 
> Written for genprompt_bingo, prompt was amnesia, the unconventionalcourtship fic fest and summer mini challenge prompt dubiously.
> 
> Based upon the summary for the Harlequin romance novel [The Sicilian’s Mistress](http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=45985) by Lynne Graham.
> 
> Any mistakes are my own and unintentional.

Robbie poured a tumbler of whiskey before changing the channel to catch the end of the six o’clock news just as they recapped the main headline about the hit and run he and his team were investigating. The presenter stated: _“A woman is in critical condition in hospital following a hit and run in the Charing Cross area on Tuesday morning. Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact Maryhill Police Station.”_ He stared at the photo that flashed on screen wondering why the woman was so familiar to him.

Gulping the remnants of his whiskey, he pondered for a few moments as the familiar burn eased in his throat. “It can’t be,” he said to the empty room. “She left Glasgow.” Rather than wallowing in his self imposed tipsy state and misery, he put his jacket back on and headed out, his ex-wife had taken their son to stay with his friends for the evening. He quickly decided that the hospital would be the best place for him to be while the team were pouring over the evidence they had so far.

*

On his way to the intensive care ward, Robbie approached a nurse on her rounds to find out the victim’s current condition. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s awake but she’s still critical. If she makes it through the next twenty four hours I’ll be surprised.”

Robbie nodded. “Thanks. Can I see her? I’m investigating the accident.”

“It’s the bay by the window.”

Taking a few moments to prepare himself to draw the curtain back, Robbie bit back a sigh before stepping into the confined space. The injured woman’s demeanour was surprising to him considering that she had numerous wires and tubes attached to her and the nurse had practically written off her chances of survival.

Carefully regarding him as he stood silently by the bed, Jackie felt that she knew him from somewhere but couldn’t place where that was exactly. The memory loss from the accident was one that she wanted to reverse because her entire life was fragmented and that worried her in case it was going to be permanent. She finally spoke to her visitor. “Your the only one,” she groggily commented.

While he wasn’t sure of what to make of her dubiously timed comment he kept his questions for her professional. “I’m a police officer; DI Robbie Ross. What’s your name?”

“Not sure but I think it there’s a J in it,” she replied.

Jackie noticed Robbie rocking on his heels before glancing at the empty chair next to the bed. “Sit down. I’m not going anywhere.”

Robbie let out a low laugh at that. “Where were you?”

Trying to recall these things was proving harder than either had anticipated. “Near a train station, close to work.”

Although this information was good for the investigation, it wasn’t quite enough to make a significant breakthrough. “Where do you work?”

“The tax office.”

Jackie yawned loudly before slowly closing her eyes. Robbie stood up to leave her to rest. “I'll pop back tomorrow.”

*

Jackie’s best friend Heather was perched on the side of the bed, carefully holding a small boy while reading messages from the pile of get well soon cards that had been given to her by people at the office, she was currently in the middle of telling Jackie all the gossip from the office when she turned and gave Robbie a dirty look.

He still didn't know what he’d done wrong although he briefly thought that the boy could be his; same eyes and nose, he stopped that particular notion from going anywhere. “I wa… wanted to,” he mentally kicked himself for not being able to speak. “Actually it...” he stopped again.

“Is it about your case?” Jackie asked, paying no attention to the daggers she was currently getting from Heather.

“I’ll come back later,” Robbie offered, quickly leaving the ward.

The moment he was in the car, Robbie let out a loud frustrated sigh. He wished that he was over her, over them but seeing her again even with severe injuries was forcing him to evaluate the way their clandestine relationship ended. 

He turned the engine on, pulling out of the car park while still deciding where to go and what he wanted to do about Jackie and her son.

*

After having a restless night, Robbie made his way to the hospital as early as the staff would allow him to be there. He stayed with Jackie who was sleeping soundly until a machine made a rapid beeping sound. “Hate that thing,” she muttered, gradually opening her eyes. “You’re early.”

Robbie smiled at her. “I know. Listen, Jackie, there’s some things that I have to tell you. Things that you might not remember.”

“You know my name?” Jackie was intrigued, wanting to know what he knew, hoping it would fill in some of the blanks. “Go on.”

“One of my team found out when we asked at your work. This will be difficult to understand but when I was married we had an affair that lasted for three years and it ended suddenly when you told me that you were leaving Glasgow. I still don’t know why you left. What we had was good, Jackie, it was right but the timing wasn’t. It was around the time that my son Jamie was born that we were together and my wife was having a hard time adjusting to motherhood.”

Jackie didn’t say a word to him. The revelations they were once lovers and that she had played a part in his marriage breaking down shocked her; he never told her that he was married. It was ironic that she could remember that about him but not much else.

“You need to leave!” she demanded. “I need some time alone to deal with this.”

Robbie left the bay, mentally cursing at the poor way he handled telling her about them. He thought that it would help her to fill in some of the gaps in her memory, not piss her off and potentially set back her recovery.

*

Jackie let out a despondent sigh when Heather entered the small cubicle her bed was in. “Do you know Robbie?”

Heather had a feeling she knew what was coming next. “Why do you ask?”

“He was here this morning.” Jackie tried to stop the threatening tears from spilling down her cheeks. “He told me that we were lovers and that his marriage ended when his wife found out about us.”

Heather realised that she had to fill in even more blanks for Jackie and started close to the beginning for her. “You and Robbie met while working on a joint investigation into betting shop fraud with the police and customs. As for you two being lovers… that is true but you did wait until the case was closed before asking him out for a drink.”

“What about Jim? I always thought that Michael was his dad but after seeing Robbie, I'm starting to doubt that.”

“Only you can find out for certain by asking for a DNA test, so that you have peace of mind.”

Jackie let out a low groan. “If I did that and Robbie is Jim’s dad what do I do? How do I tell him that his dad is back? How do I tell Robbie that he has another child?” 

“You’ll find a way, you always do,” heather encouraged.

“I do?” Jackie sceptically replied.

Heather shook her head at her own words. “What I meant is that before the accident you were the one that was always giving me advice when I wasn’t sure of something.”

“Including men?”

“Yes, Jackie, especially men,” Heather laughed. “I’ll have to get to work, you get some rest and I’ll bring Jim with me tonight.”

*

It wasn’t until much later in the day that Robbie had gotten some time to return to the hospital and attempt to make amends with Jackie for his earlier ill-timed comments about their shared history.

“Wasn’t expecting to see you again.”

Robbie understand what she meant but still frowned at the remark. “About earlier, I came to apologise. What I said about us was true, all of it but my timing was bad.”

“Bad timing seems to be out thing. Heather filled me in after you left. Look, Robbie, I’m glad you told me but it’s too soon to be told something like that.”

“I’m trying to apologise here.”

“Apolgoy accepted.” Jackie couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden awkwardness with her. 

I understand that but if you can forgive me for all of the things I didn’t tell you, then maybe we could be a family.” He paused for meoment before suggesting, “When this is all over we should get married.”

“It’s too soon to be making that kind of a decision. I’d need more time and right nw I want to get my memory back and spend some time with my son.”

“It’s not the answer that I was hoping for but it’s a start.”

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2014. First posted to Dreamwidth, finally cross posted here and as it was originally started for a Mills & Boon inspired challenge, it's meant to be silly.


End file.
